Cinema Therapy
March 11, 2005 8:23 AM Subscribe
Cinema Therapy : I recently discovered that there is actually a field of study for something that I have long felt existed - a way to access blocked emotions and memories simply through movies. More info: Books, Newsletters, and an Index of films recommended by issues.
If movies can indeed "change the way we think and feel" for good, does this not lend credence to those who claim that movies contribute to negative behaviors ("inciting violence", "contaminating society's values") and even crimes? Or does the recognition of the good that films can do actually assist in the battle against those who blame films for negative influences? After all, "Courts do not award extra dollars to entertainers for the unforeseen positive byproducts of their work. Why penalize them for the less fortunate consequences of what they do?"
Have you ever felt a theraputic effect from seeing a film?
This is interesting. Thanks, Spock!
posted by malaprohibita at 8:47 AM on March 11, 2005
posted by malaprohibita at 8:47 AM on March 11, 2005
Can I tangentially feel a murderous rage from the overuse of Comic Sans?
You not only can but MUST.
</derail> : )
posted by spock at 8:50 AM on March 11, 2005
You not only can but MUST.
</derail> : )
posted by spock at 8:50 AM on March 11, 2005
Has a court ever awarded anyone for the unforseen positive byproducts of their work? Because if not, I guess we have to toss out all currently pending lawsuits.
posted by 4easypayments at 8:51 AM on March 11, 2005
posted by 4easypayments at 8:51 AM on March 11, 2005
From the Reason article:
a new genre of fan pornography, centered on the potential liaisons between Spock and Kirk
this isn't about you, is it spock?
I think the Reason article is interesting. I'm highly skeptical of the other stuff, mostly because I think therapy has much more to do with changing the way we act than it does with exposing us to feelings. To the extent that it has to do with feelings, I think it has to do with talking about them, rather than just soaking in them.
posted by OmieWise at 8:52 AM on March 11, 2005
a new genre of fan pornography, centered on the potential liaisons between Spock and Kirk
this isn't about you, is it spock?
I think the Reason article is interesting. I'm highly skeptical of the other stuff, mostly because I think therapy has much more to do with changing the way we act than it does with exposing us to feelings. To the extent that it has to do with feelings, I think it has to do with talking about them, rather than just soaking in them.
posted by OmieWise at 8:52 AM on March 11, 2005
Other ways to access blocked emotions and memories:
Get married.
Buy a house.
Have kids.
Believe me, all sorts of stuff will come crawling out of the woodwork. You might even feel like they should have stayed in there.
posted by Araucaria at 9:02 AM on March 11, 2005
Get married.
Buy a house.
Have kids.
Believe me, all sorts of stuff will come crawling out of the woodwork. You might even feel like they should have stayed in there.
posted by Araucaria at 9:02 AM on March 11, 2005
Rose Dyson wouldn't quite cop to being a censor. She had bragged about how her group, Canadians Concerned About Violence in Entertainment, had helped keep Howard Stern off the air in part of her country;
Rose Dyson is full of shit. Stern was on in Montreal for a while, but he got kicked off the air because his show sucks. Fart jokes and FCC-baiting won't get you very far in Canada.
posted by clevershark at 9:19 AM on March 11, 2005
Rose Dyson is full of shit. Stern was on in Montreal for a while, but he got kicked off the air because his show sucks. Fart jokes and FCC-baiting won't get you very far in Canada.
posted by clevershark at 9:19 AM on March 11, 2005
I agree OmieWise, but the first step to positive change often recognition/epiphany/abandoning denial. I believe that movies can open some doors and bring to the forefront some needs/issues that we may have not before recognized.
No one is giving any examples yet, so I'll give one: In the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" (a grossly underappreciated movie), Ben Kingsley's character says to his 7-year-old chess prodigy student: "I have never been prouder of anyone in my life. I am honored to call myself your teacher." (or words to that effect). That hits me unbelievably hard which makes me wonder "why?". I sense that I have a great need to hear those words - (or did as a child) - but from whom? I'm curious - but I also would possibly never have made note of that at all, without seeing it portrayed in the movie.
posted by spock at 9:19 AM on March 11, 2005
No one is giving any examples yet, so I'll give one: In the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" (a grossly underappreciated movie), Ben Kingsley's character says to his 7-year-old chess prodigy student: "I have never been prouder of anyone in my life. I am honored to call myself your teacher." (or words to that effect). That hits me unbelievably hard which makes me wonder "why?". I sense that I have a great need to hear those words - (or did as a child) - but from whom? I'm curious - but I also would possibly never have made note of that at all, without seeing it portrayed in the movie.
posted by spock at 9:19 AM on March 11, 2005
harold and maude was my late father's favorite movie. unfortunately, i hadn't seen it until after he passed. seeing it was a very cathartic experience for me, due to the subject matter, the time at which i saw it, and the recognition of what my father probably saw in the film. the "trouble" montage at the end really got under my skin, particularly the shot of harold driving past the graveyard and placing his head on the side of his car (alas, i can't find a screen grab).
posted by pxe2000 at 10:21 AM on March 11, 2005
posted by pxe2000 at 10:21 AM on March 11, 2005
According to the "Index of films recommended by issues," your drug problem might benefit from a viewing of The Wizard of Oz. I'm presuming smoking a bowl before popping in the DVD isn't what they had in mind. Is the poppy field scene supposed to scare one off heroin? Like, next time I feel like shooting up I think: "Dude! Flying Monkeys! No junk for me today!"
posted by kozad at 11:12 AM on March 11, 2005
posted by kozad at 11:12 AM on March 11, 2005
I judge people on how funny they thought "Dr. Strangelove" is....and "The Killing Feilds" changed my life, made me study something very close, well study close from afar.
posted by clavdivs at 11:36 AM on March 11, 2005
posted by clavdivs at 11:36 AM on March 11, 2005
Have you ever felt a therapeutic effect from seeing a film?
Yes. Most recently, the film Kinsey.
As someone who burns a lot of midnight oil on a research project that might one day benefit somebody, but for which there isn't a lot of immediately visible benefit, it was therapeutic to see, albeit fictional, people on screen getting a therapeutic benefit from the work of admittedly flawed but courageous people on the forefront of science persevering in the face of adversity.
I guess you could call that metabeneficial. :)
posted by 3.2.3 at 1:54 PM on March 11, 2005
Yes. Most recently, the film Kinsey.
As someone who burns a lot of midnight oil on a research project that might one day benefit somebody, but for which there isn't a lot of immediately visible benefit, it was therapeutic to see, albeit fictional, people on screen getting a therapeutic benefit from the work of admittedly flawed but courageous people on the forefront of science persevering in the face of adversity.
I guess you could call that metabeneficial. :)
posted by 3.2.3 at 1:54 PM on March 11, 2005
I'd have to say Harold and Maude and Auntie Mame (Russel, not Ball) are very therapeutic for me. (Although for quite different aspects of what part of my soul they touch.) Also, Jesus Christ Superstar (the original), despite the fact that I'm not a Christian.
H&M because it reaches a very solitary, lonely part of my soul...that part of me that's always the little girl that wishes her parents would have paid attention, rather than paying nannies. I got Harold...I did. And I wanted to grow up and be Maude.
Which leads to Auntie Mame. My grandmother, rest her soul, was Mame. She took such joy in life, there's nothing, not a scrap bone of life that she didn't enjoy right to the last marrow. Everything, even death, was an adventure for her. I watch that movie to try and remember a woman I loved deeply, who died too young.
The lesson from both, for me...is that we are but energy in between dust cycles. How you use that energy is totally up to you.
JCSS...I dunno what that's all about, but about once a year, I have to plug it in, sing along, get all weepy, and then feel spiritual for a couple of weeks. I don't get it, but there it is. :)
posted by dejah420 at 9:20 PM on March 11, 2005
H&M because it reaches a very solitary, lonely part of my soul...that part of me that's always the little girl that wishes her parents would have paid attention, rather than paying nannies. I got Harold...I did. And I wanted to grow up and be Maude.
Which leads to Auntie Mame. My grandmother, rest her soul, was Mame. She took such joy in life, there's nothing, not a scrap bone of life that she didn't enjoy right to the last marrow. Everything, even death, was an adventure for her. I watch that movie to try and remember a woman I loved deeply, who died too young.
The lesson from both, for me...is that we are but energy in between dust cycles. How you use that energy is totally up to you.
JCSS...I dunno what that's all about, but about once a year, I have to plug it in, sing along, get all weepy, and then feel spiritual for a couple of weeks. I don't get it, but there it is. :)
posted by dejah420 at 9:20 PM on March 11, 2005
Excellent post, spock.
My wife is working on her masters thesis in Social Work and, strangely enough, this is her topic. I'm glad to see she didn't just make this stuff up because I'm constantly forcing movies on her.
Clavdivs: I frequently find myself saying, "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the War Room."
posted by rough at 12:02 PM on March 12, 2005
My wife is working on her masters thesis in Social Work and, strangely enough, this is her topic. I'm glad to see she didn't just make this stuff up because I'm constantly forcing movies on her.
Clavdivs: I frequently find myself saying, "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here. This is the War Room."
posted by rough at 12:02 PM on March 12, 2005
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posted by iamck at 8:46 AM on March 11, 2005